Chance
by Tee-Cup
Summary: Rachel is finally finding out the truth, all of it, but the hard way. Pairings Hotch/Prentiss, I own nothing except Rachel Reid. Please R&R x
1. Chapter 1: Return To The BAU

**Chapter One.**

"Why is it you always beat me up?" Reid asked his sister, he was sporting a swollen lip and a black eye.

"You made the bet, _and_ told me not to go easy on you." Rachel sat on the edge of her seat, dabbing at his bleeding lip with a piece of wet tissue.

It was the morning after the confrontation in Vegas and they had spent the night travelling and were now sat in the bull pen of the BAU. Hotch had accompanied them back and they could now see him already working in his office.

"Yeah but I didn't expect you to be _that _good."

"Spencer you have seen me fight many times before, you knew I was good."

"Woah, what happened this time?" agent Morgan walked into the office and slipped into his chair by his desk.

"I kicked him and hit him, a little bit, he didn't tell me to stop."

"Hey Rach, welcome back!" he said high-fiving with her and she turned to talk to him temporarily forgetting about Reid. "How've you been? What did you get up too?"

After Rachel had explained everything that had happened in Vegas, Morgan asked a question that she couldn't answer.

"But why?"

She thought about that question hard before finally understanding that she had no clue, but she thought she knew who might know something.

"Hello? Lip!" Spencer said loudly gesturing towards the blood dribbling lightly down his chin.

"You want another black eye?" she asked, raising an eyebrow but turning back to him all the same.

"That's some pretty serious beat there kid. Well she did train with the best aka yours truly!" Morgan smiled leaning back in his chair.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Reid pulled back from Rachel's 'dabbing' and looked at them both, first pointing his finger at Morgan, "You," his finger moved to point at Rachel, "trained her."

"Yeah, taught her everything she knows!"

"Almost everything kitty!" Rachel grinned and went back to dabbing at Reid's lip; he had a confused yet disapproving look on his face. Soon more people began to arrive and Rachel knew she had to know the truth. The journey to Hotch's office seemed long and she felt as if every eye was one her although her common sense told her they weren't.

She paused before knocking hesitantly on his door and when she heard his call of enter she wished she hadn't come. But she plucked up her courage and walked into the office, closing the door behind her.

"Rachel is everything alright?" he asked, putting down his pen.

"Yeah," she paused in thought, "No, I don't know, maybe."

He looked at her sympathetically. "Do you wanna talk?" she nodded and took a seat opposite him. He gestured for her to begin.

"I wanna know everything. Why did he choose me? Why was he using me to get to you? I mean how does that even work? Ho did he know where I was staying? Why didn't he kill me right there in my bed when I was vulnerable? How did he know everything about me? How..."

"Rachel stop."

She looked up and looked properly at Hotch, and he looked sad.

"Don't tell me you don't know Mr Hotchner, because I know you do. So please, I deserve to know the truth." Rachel waited expectantly.

Hotch took a deep breath before starting to explain.

"A few months ago, about a month before that case where you were kidnapped for the first time, our database was hacked, it was apparently from inside sources so it was kept all hushed up and Garcia could only find two files that had been disturbed, mine and yours. E thought nothing more of it until that case, then I asked Garcia to look closer into it and she was able to find that firstly, my file had been looked into first, then yours, and secondly, there were forums all over the internet, on websites that known offenders post to, about you and about how there was a huge reward for your kidnap and bringing to Vegas. When the kidnappings got more frequent I began to think about it more and more, I couldn't see any sense in it but I knew I had to find a link, a thread, anything! When Elle called me I knew I had to get to that warehouse as soon as possible. This guy knew about your past, could torture you with it, Rachel you have been through one of the hardest childhood's ever, and I couldn't let him do that to you. He didn't kill you in your bed because he needed me to be there, he knew I knew. When I came then he could really begin. He knew that I cared about you. When he threatened to kill you like Foyet did to Hayley that got to me, he saw that and that drove him on. He wanted rid of me because he could see I have aspirations, I plan on going far, and he knew that if he killed you, I would lose it, I would quit."

Hotch went quiet and Rachel looked at his face, he was looking down and his eyes were wet, as were her own.

"You would give up your job if I died?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Rachel, you're like a daughter to me, you mean a lot to me." He said in an equally quiet voice. Hotch's hand was on the desk and Rachel gently took it. Hotch looked up and they stared at each others pained expressions, their hands together on the desk. Then Prentiss knocked on the door and came in, Rachel quickly withdrew her hand and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffed. Hotch did likewise.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, I'm just saying that we're meeting." She said before leaving abruptly.

Rachel stood as did Hotch; as Rachel turned for the door she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and suddenly Hotch was in front of her.

"If you need to take some time then we'll all understand?" it was a statement but it seemed like a question.

She shook her head; she felt the painful lump in her throat and willed herself not to burst into tears like a baby.

"I need to work harder, now more than ever."

He nodded and looked at her sadly for a moment before his hand slid from her shoulder and they both turned and made for the door.

A different scenario was playing through Rachel's head, one where she had told Hotch everything, about her completely inappropriate feelings for him. When she looked at him, she had that tiny ray of hope, that maybe; he might feel the same way.


	2. Chapter 2: Case File

**Chapter Two – Case File**

"Hannah Bennett, abducted from her home last Friday, Lisa Carls, abducted from the mall a month last Friday and Sarah Danville abducted from a street two months last Friday. Sarah and Lisa were found dead yesterday. Hannah is still missing." Garcia flicked through the photos of the crime scenes on the large screen on the wall. The two women had been bound together and dumped in a large garbage container with no signs of assault. No bruises and no cuts, no signs as to how they were dead. Both were wearing jeans and a white baggy t-shirt with their hair in ponytails. But otherwise they showed no signs of resemblance. Their hair weren't even the same colour.

"What city is this in?" Rossi asked glancing down at his iPad, he knew full well, they all did but it was a routine question.

"New York." Garcia responded automatically.

"Yay, nothing we all enjoy more is a lovely trip to New York by some weirdo serial killer." Rachel commented. Everyone turned to look at her, sensing the eyes on her she looked up slowly.

"In a bit of a bad mood sorry." She apologised slowly.

"Ok moving on..." Garcia caught everyone's attention back to her immediately, except Reid's, his eyes lingered on his sister for a moment longer before returning to concentrate on the case.

"So, they've requested us as soon as possible. Judging by the rate that the killings have been he's increasing in time. So I suggest you chickadees get going ASAP. And keep me informed. See you later." Garcia smiled, deleting the images from the screen and getting up to leave as the rest of the team did. All agreeing to meet at the airstrip in twenty minutes time.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Rachel and Spencer Reid shared an apartment. It was easier and cheaper than them having one each. It was a big apartment for just the two of them, three bedroomed. Rachel was messy, Spencer was neat. It was a good combination. Rachel was barely past her teenage years and much still a child at heart. She had a tendency to act childishly around the apartment but that's why she was so lovable.

They entered the apartment and were immediately greeted with Rachel's mess that Spencer hadn't cleaned up yet, she walked through to her bedroom dropping her bag of dirty laundry on the way by the open plan kitchen.

Spencer followed, picking up the bag and taking it through to the washroom where he emptied the contents into the washing machine and turned it on. As he waited for it to start he began to think. Something was up with his sister, and she usually talked to him about things that were bothering her.

If she was worried, then he was worried. He made his way across the hall from the wash room towards her bedroom; the door which she had painted light blue was slightly ajar. He glanced in, he had always admired her artwork and he'd been especially impressed in the decorating of her room.

There was a large window taking up most of the wall opposite the door, the curtains were a dark blue and were tied back with light blue ribbons, the white windowsill was crowded with photos of memorable moments in her life, pictures of everyone at the BAU, at least three of her and Garcia pulling funny faces. One of her and their mother and he knew her to have one of their father somewhere but she liked to keep that one hidden. One of their grandparents and at least five of Spencer and Rachel together, mostly laughing and joking, that wall was painted a baby blue.

The wall adjacent to the one with the window and adjacent to the wall with the door was mostly taken up with the doors of a large wardrobe. This wall was painted a bright pink and the doors were decorated with her name spelt out in vibrant letters, one on each of the six doors which lead to one big wardrobe.

The wall with the door on was painted a dark, sea blue, the back of the door had hooks on which held her bags (she didn't have many), her dressing gown and her favourite coat. The wall had a painted mural on, Spencer had no idea what this mural represented but he knew that it meant a lot to Rachel. The wall adjacent to this was painted a deep blood red, this wall was strange, and it had a few lines of writing beginning at the top of the wall and going down a few lines. But the writing was tiny; you couldn't read it unless you looked up close. Spencer had known to come into her room and find her adding to this list, it was a list of names of all the children she'd helped to save from cruelty.

Up against the 'name wall' was her bed, unmade and scruffy with pillows and stuffed animals spread across it, it also had blood red sheets and either side of the bed were two light blue bedside tables, both with lamps on and strewn objects across them. They had a sense of unorganized cosiness as did the rest of the room. Boxes were lined up against the wall with the mural, these boxes contained basically all her possessions.

Now she was rushing through the piles of random stuff to find things which she flung into a black gym bag which was perched on her bed. She pulled open one of the boxes and threw a pair of fluffy multicoloured plane socks into her bag. Before she looked up and noticed Spencer in the doorway.

"Hey," she said continuing to search through the drawers until she found a pair of black sneakers.

"Rachel what's up?" he asked glancing down at his feet.

"What do you mean?" she asked, stopping searching for her hairbrush and instead decided to pull her now shoulder length hair into a tight ponytail without a hairbrush. Come to think of it Spencer couldn't remember that last time he'd seen her brush her hair.

"I mean, you have something on your mind and it's troubling you and I want you to talk to me."

"I have nothing on my mind," she began to laugh it off.

"Don't lie to me Rachel." Spencer never usually raised his voice with her and now when he did she looked up into his eyes startled.

"Look, right now we have fifteen minutes to get to the plane and you haven't even started packing yet, I've only just begun and you always object to taking my bike." He challenged her stare with an icy one of his own.

Her eyes softened and she walked over to him almost tripping on a discarded pillow, "If I promise that I'll tell once this case is over, will you go and pack?"

After a moments consideration Spencer finally made to leave, "Fine." He said reluctantly.

As he left he didn't notice the look of sadness that crossed her face, she glanced across to the windowsill, specifically at the photo of her and Hotch. Then she turned back to the pile of boxes and found her hairbrush, she angrily threw it into her bag.

Cursing the stupid emotion of love.


	3. Chapter 3: Failing Case

**Chapter Three – Failing Case**

They had been in New York for a week, and they had gotten nowhere. Luckily the body of Hannah hadn't been found yet and so they were at a reason to believe she was still alive. They were working hard on the profile and Spencer noticed that Rachel in particular was throwing herself into her work with a great force. But they didn't even have a suspect.

It was exactly one week after they had arrived and the day was nearing its end. The whole team were making their way back to their hotel rooms but Rachel had decided to stay behind a little longer to revise the profile.

The rest of the team were sat in the hotel bar having a drink before they retired to their rooms for the night.

"Why don't you think we can get this guy Hotch?" Morgan asked and immediately the rest of them fell silent to listen to his answer.

Hotch paused before answering, "I can honestly say, I don't know. He's good; I'll give him that..."

"But he's not a good guy..." Prentiss said bowing her head. For a while they sat in silence, contemplating their own thoughts in their heads. Soon their idle chatter started up once more. One by one each of them went up to their room until it was just Prentiss and Hotch left. They'd both had a fair bit to drink and it was very late.

"So, agent Hotchner why are you not retiring to your humble abode?" Emily asked playfully edging closer to Hotch.

Hotch laughed, "I might ask you the same question agent Prentiss!"

Their faces were extremely close together, their noses almost bumping, when they did gently touch together the rest came easily. Hotch made the move and touched his lips to hers, Emily felt the fire speed from the connection of lips and intensify through her body, this is what she wanted, this is what Hotch _thought then_ that he wanted. The kiss intensified and Emily forced his mouth open with her own, as she was about to thrust her tongue into his now gaping mouth he gently pulled away. But only for a second, he then fitted his face hers once more, but refused any open-mouthed kissing.

They continued to use these butterfly kisses unaware that there was someone watching them. Rachel, she stood leaning against the door frame, her eyes almost filling with tears at the sight before her. She was in love with Hotch and after the meeting in the office she had honestly felt that he felt the same way. It took a lot to make Rachel Reid cry, but breaking her heart was evidently the easiest way.


	4. Chapter 4: A Dagger In Her Heart

**Chapter Four – A dagger in her heart**

Rachel didn't think she'd ever felt this way before. She sat on the end of her bed in her hotel room; she'd heard Emily go to bed about an hour ago but not with Hotch. Did this mean they were together? She didn't want to think about Emily betraying her like that. Did Emily know about her feelings for Hotch? So many questions that desperately needed answering. She never cried, she wasn't about to break that streak now, it was too easy to cry with the upbringing she'd suffered, and what use was taking the easy option?

There was a soft knock on her door, sniffing away a ghost of a tear she got up to answer it, it was Spencer.

"Can I come in?" he asked softly, he looked like he hadn't slept but his hair was messy like he'd been running his fingers through it over and over.

"Of course," she answered, opening the door wider to allow him through.

He sat on the edge of the bed and proceeded to stare at the floor until Rachel adapted her easygoing lifestyle as a facade against him and flopped down beside him.

"I'm worried," he said after a short silence, Rachel sat up a little straighter next to him, she sneaked a glance at his face but he was still staring into space, he did _look _worried.

"What are you worried about?" she asked softly, brushing a strand of bleach blonde hair from her eyes, her hair was growing, fast, it was now nearly past her shoulders but the blonde was just beginning to wash out.

"Everything, the case, you. I feel like a failure as a big brother. You're upset and you can't even tell me." He almost laughed as he said it, he was trying to lighten the mood but it didn't really work, Rachel realised that she would have to counter-act her feelings and lighten the mood herself.

"Hey," she grinned nudging him playfully, he looked up at her face, "Most siblings don't even talk to each other once they move away from home, and we _live _together! You are not a failure, you are the best big brother I could ever ask for, and as for the case, we'll catch the bastard, we always do. Spencer, don't worry yourself, because eventually you'll worry too much and then you'll get sick. And neither of us wants that, I'll have to take care of you! Just..." Spencer was smiling but there seemed to be tears lurking near the brink of his eyes, "C'mere." She smiled sadly pulling him into a hug.

They sat in silence for what seemed like ages, both just wordlessly clinging onto one another until they fell asleep.

They awoke the next morning to a knock on Rachel's door, it 5am. Rachel heard running footsteps as she opened the door, they were off to her right, and she looked down to find a dead body lying on the ground in front of her door. Suddenly adrenaline kicked in.

"Spencer," she shouted, almost like an instruction to her brother who jerked awake and got up rushing to the door. But Rachel was already gone; she sprinted down the hall making sure she could still hear the footsteps of the person who had delivered her little present. She rounded a corner and saw them. The saw her also, they were wearing a ski mask but Rachel couldn't miss the piercing blue eyes. She was athletic and prepared, she tore down the everlasting halls after the figure, and she began to feel tired, her legs burning.

Suddenly the figure clambered clumsily out of a window and began to make their way down a fire escape, Rachel could here footsteps behind her but she didn't stop she grabbed the top of the window ledge and swung gracefully through. Landing neatly on the wire mesh, without hesitation she sped down the metal steps, she had almost caught the deliverer. As they reached the bottom the figure was already halfway up the alley and they picked up a fairly large rock and flung it in the general direction of Rachel, it struck her square in the nose but Rachel persevered, pressing a hand to her nose which had blood pounding from it.

They rounded a corner neatly knocking over a can of oil, Rachel tried to stop or at least slow but she had too much momentum and couldn't, she slid over and instead of landing painfully on her back she tried to twist to her front, instead she landed equally as painfully on her side and even skidded a little, she scraped her right leg horribly on the gravel and lay for a moment, blood streaming down her face, sweat emerging on her brow and her leg stinging. She tried to catch her breath but she knew that the delivered was long gone. She propped herself up onto her elbows and breathed steady. She cursed herself for letting them get away.

Suddenly there were hands on her arms and people beside her.

"Rachel are you alright?" It was Morgan, he had sprinted after her, obviously wanting to help her but neither of them were fast enough.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Rachel said waving him off.

"Come on." Morgan helped her up and she hissed slightly at the pain in her leg. As he helped her back up to the elevator and the floor which had now been taped off, she didn't realise the chase had been that long.

As she approached the rest of her team they immediately crowded around her. Spencer took over from Morgan and put his arm around her shoulders in a protective fashion; she looked up at him and smiled slightly. She knew he'd be angry that she rushed off but, like always, he'd save that for later.

"What happened?" Rossi said nodding towards her nose which was still pumping blood.

"Uh, I ran into a rock." She replied spitting a bit of blood which had made its way into her mouth.

"Here," Prentiss handed her a tissue, Rachel accepted it gratefully before remembering the events of last night, and she decided she would ask Emily about it after the case.

"Then...?" Hotch was eyeing her leg which was also trickling blood.

"I slipped on some oil."

"Fair enough," Hotch nodded. Rachel wiped up the blood from her face and, with the help of Spencer, managed to stop the bleeding.

As she was talking to a forensic artist she watched Emily and Hotch work together, always wondering how she would have felt if she hadn't seen them kiss.


	5. Chapter 5: The Summoning

**Chapter Five – The Summoning**

Spencer, Morgan and Rossi stood around a desk in the police station. They all gazed down at the very same thing, a note from the attacker who Rachel had chased.

It read:

_I hope you like my little game,  
I hope you like my idea of fun,  
I always win my little games,  
So don't bother trying to run,_

_You tried to chase me didn't you?  
But it didn't seem to work,  
and now you cannot find me,  
you must feel like such a twerp._

There was a police officer sat next to them along with the police captain.

"And your sure you recognize this handwriting?" the captain asked his officer who nodded with a sorrowful look on his face. "Where do you recognize it from?"

There was an awkward pause as the officer tried to compose his answer, the three FBI agents waited patiently.

"I'm so sorry captain, I honestly didn't know...!"

"Move it on officer." The captain said briskly.

"It's my wife's sir." Another incredibly awkward silence.

"Does she have a large space where she could have hidden the women?" Rossi asked pulling out his little note pad.

"Yes," the officer rattled off an address and Rossi jotted it down, he handed the note pad to Reid with the address and Reid went off to call Hotch to tell them to make their way there.

"What does your wife look like?" Morgan asked,

"She has long blonde hair, she's about five: five, and she had the most intense blue eyes."

"Rachel mentioned blue eyes."

Just then Reid returned, announcing that Prentiss, Hotch and Rachel were going to the address.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

The car ride was awkward, Hotch and Prentiss sat in the front, if Rachel hadn't been in the car they would have discussed last night. Hotch felt bad; he'd kissed one of his agents, and not just any agent, Emily. He'd thought he'd had strangely inappropriate feelings for her for ages now, but he'd never meant to act on them, let alone on impulse or alcohol. And Emily also felt bad, subconsciously she knew that Rachel really like Hotch, that was one of the reasons she'd actually joined the BAU, she fell hard for her boss. But Emily had also like him, and so what if some kid liked him, she was a woman. And even though she felt bad, a glow was pounding through her body, a warm fuzzy feeling.

Rachel sat in the back, sulking. Emily had betrayed her and now they seemed to be treating her like a kid. Well if they were gonna treat her like a kid then she was going to act like one. Maybe she hadn't thought this one through.

"When we get there we split up, this place is huge and there are loads of corridors. Always keep your gun at hand." Hotch decided to break the silence with an instruction.

Suddenly a sharp stab of panic coursed through Rachel, she could just act carefully, and she reached for her gun, just to check it was there. She closed her eyes and thought about every swear word she could as her fingers passed over the empty space which her gun should have been holstered. It was in the hotel room. Oh well, she was strong and clever, and the weirdo woman didn't like guns, she liked up close and personal, so that's what Rachel would give her.

As they arrived at the large building Rachel and Prentiss both noticed that there were no SWAT members around or any other members of law enforcement whatsoever.

"We wanted to give the element of complete surprise." Hotch answered their unasked questions.

"And get ourselves hurt and possibly killed in the process." Rachel muttered to herself under her breath. Luckily neither of the other two heard her.

They went in the large double doors, and there were three ways to choose from, left, right or centre. Prentiss took left, Hotch took right and Rachel took centre.

Rachel founds herself walking down dozens of corridors; she began to panic that she wouldn't be able to find her way out of the maze. But then again, she knew she'd be fine.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Hotch walked quickly, rounding every corner with his gun out, he hadn't even thought of cameras. He rounded a corner going left and immediately his gun was batted from his hands and it skidded across the floor away from him, he turned to see the attacker; she punched him across the jaw over and over again until he fell. Then she crouched on top of him and pulled out a rope, she smiled a sickening smile as she went to tie it around his neck.


	6. Chapter 6: Hanging By The Thread

**Chapter Six – Hanging By The Thread**

Rachel thought she heard something around the next corner, she ran quietly up to the corner and peeked around. She saw a blonde haired woman crouched over a man, Hotch. Not caring about any of the consequences she darted out and just before she was about to spring the woman turned and lashed out, catching Rachel straight across the jaw. She stumbled before regaining her footing, the woman whipped what had been around Hotch's neck, what they both had believed to be a rope but now saw it was a belt with a hard metal buckle. Rachel ducked as the metal swung in the direction of her head.

Hotch propped himself up onto his elbows and shuffled so he was against the wall and out of the way.

"Where's your gun?" he asked Rachel throatily, forever coughing and spluttering.

"I left it in the hotel room by accident, where's yours?"

"Over there somewhere," Hotch pointed in the general direction before loosening his tie, he was so very nearly unconscious, Hanging by the thread.

Rachel blocked a swipe which was aimed at her head, this woman was certainly a match for her and she struggled to keep up with her opponents attacks. This was a challenge. Rachel went for the legs as if to tackle her to the ground but the woman brought the belt back around and the metal struck Rachel hard against the cheek. Pain seared through rachel's cheek, but it was more because of the pain of metal against bone than the cut. Blood began to leak from the wound and Rachel decided she needed to get that belt out of the way.

She took a simple approach and just began edging slowly and steadily towards her attacker, as her opponent brought the belt back around Rachel made to grab it but missed by a centimetre, instead it hit her hard in the stomach, winding her. She fell to the floor breathless, the woman smiled a horrible smile as she crouched over Rachel, preparing the belt for its kill. Rachel was all but ready to give up, she glanced at Hotch who was just looking at her, all hope gone from his eyes. Rachel was suddenly reminded of the few nights before, Hotch and Prentiss kissing, rage and adrenaline fuelled her once more and she kicked the woman off of her. As the belt swung towards her once more she caught it and wrapped it around her wrist, holding it off completely. She yanked and it was released from her opponents grip.

With a smile Rachel spun the now defencless woman around and pulled out her cuffs, after cuffing the woman she slammed her onto the floor and made sure that she couldn't get up. She then clambered over to Hotch who was attempting to loosen his tie with fumbling fingers. She gently took his hands and did it for him. He tried to get up but she firmly put a hand on his shoulder, she collapsed next to him and took out her phone, she texted Prentiss and Spencer telling them that they had their un-sub. Hotch was nearly unconscious, she rested her head on his shoulder and he rested his on the top of her head. They both sat, exhausted and awaiting their rescue.


	7. Chapter 7: Return Home

**Chapter Seven – Return Home**

He'd always wondered about her random sense of style, she was sat on the sofa on the plane. Her feet curled beneath her. She'd always loved her socks, today they were multicoloured striped and fluffy. Her hair was half up half down, the gash on her cheek had been stitched up and she barely seemed to care.

She had her nose in a book, it was by P.C and Kristin Cast, and it was called Marked. She had been 'reading' for half an hour, but she wasn't past the second page. He moved over next to her with a sigh and took the book out of her hands.

Rachel looked up into agent Morgan's face and smiled faintly.

"Hey." She greeted him simply.

"What's up?" he said closing the book and placing it on the couch beside him.

"I'm tempted to say the sky but we're flying so technically the sky is around us, so up, would be space and special matter." She smiled faintly.

Morgan laughed slightly, "You're one weird kid you know that?"

"I'm not a kid," she smiled properly and playfully elbowed Morgan in the ribs.

"Look, if there's anything you wanna..."

"No, just no. I'm fine, I don't know why everyone is always Y'know asking me that..."

"Ok, but just so you know..."

"Really, I'm fine. I'm just one weird kid." They smiled at each other before Morgan handed her book back to her.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

As soon as Rachel walked into the apartment she went straight to her bedroom, doing the normal thing of dumping her overnight bag outside the laundry room.

Spencer followed close behind; he locked the door and leant against it, his brilliant mind whirring with thought. He was wondering how Rachel was, what she was thinking, what was going through her head. He made the journey he'd been dreading throughout the whole case, the journey to her room. He was unsure as to what he would find there, what kind of a state she would be in.

He gently tapped on her door, he pushed it open and saw her crouched on her bed, she was hugging one of her blood red pillows and leaning against the wall, sat in the dark.

Tears were cascading down her cheeks.

"Rachel?" he asked softly, she looked up at him, her bright green eyes glistening with the tears. He clicked the door shut behind him and walked over to the bed, carefully avoiding the mess strewn across the floor. He collapsed onto the bed, only using the moonlight and light pollution streaming through the window for guidance. He crawled up to Rachel who had buried her face in the pillow she was hugging tightly to her chest.

He sat next to her and awkwardly put his arm around her, she transferred her face from the pillow to resting on his chest.

"You wanna know what's been bugging me?" she said and Spencer could hear the lump in her throat.

"Yeah, I mean, of course, I wanna help you." He said, starting to worry for his sister.

"You can't help," she said shaking her head gently, "There's a guy, but it's like it hasn't been like it's been before. He really doesn't like me back, but I... I... love him..."

"He doesn't like you? Well then he isn't good enough for you." Spencer said attempting to make her smile. She looked up into his face, her cheeks still shiny with the tears that she had spent for her love, she rested her head on his shoulder and he continued, "I mean, you're funny, you're pretty, you're too good for him, he doesn't deserve you!"

He smiled down at her, a smile which she returned. He cradled her to sleep and the night enveloped around them. As he gazed out at the city around them through her window he searched his mind as to who this mystery man could be.

As the night wore on Spencer failed to realise how important the next few months were going to be, and how crucial they were going to be in both their lives.


End file.
